Ordinary Guy
by sea-my-eyes
Summary: Ginny Weasley, scribe to the Boy-Who-Lived (unofficially, of course) writes his history, with a few surprises
1. Ginny Weasley, Scribe Extraordinaire

Ordinary Guy Chapter one: Meet the family  
  
Harry Potter is not an ordinary guy. In fact, he the least ordinary guy I've ever known. Harry Potter is a wizard, and a very powerful one at that. What is a wizard, you might ask. A wizard is born, not made. He can be born to magical parents (meaning the parents are both magical.. witch and wizard) or only one parent is magical. There are also muggleborns, those witches and wizards who are born to muggle, or non magical parents and heritage. I myself, being a pureblood (my family is magical... cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings and parents), could be considered snooty and snobby, but my family is not like the Malfoys, or the Parkinsons. Or the Blacks, for that matter, but that is still a touchy subject around here. But I am distracted from the point of me writing this. Harry is a half- blood wizard (his mother was a muggle-born), and he was chosen by the most powerful, most evil wizard in the past century to be his opposite, his arch enemy. And why do I write this? Well.. Every hero needs a scribe, someone to jot down the happenings of his life... how he vanquishes evil...  
  
"Ginny, are you even listening to me?"  
  
Ginny sighed, and put down her quill. "Sorry Mum.."  
  
"As I was saying, Harry, the poor boy, is coming to stay for the holidays. Dumbledore believes that You-Know-Who," Some shudders, "won't do very much, and Grimmauld place is continually becoming a hive, and no place for a boy who suffers so to stay. I want you ALL to be on your best behaviour," she eyed everybody in the kitchen, everybody being:  
  
Ron Weasley: Best friend of the said Harry Potter, temperamental, loves Quidditch, generally happy, and happens to love his best friend...  
  
Hermione Granger: Bushy-haired, 'know it all', loves books, her cat Crookshanks, her friends and family, and also happens to have a crush on her best friend Ron.  
  
Gred and Forge Weasley: Pranksters, Hogwarts School dropouts, proud owners of the joke shop 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'.  
  
Mr. Arthur Weasley: Father to all the red heads (besides his wife), balding, very excited over the muggles and their 'ecelectric' abilities.  
  
Ginny Weasley: Baby of the family (but if you said that to her face, beware a Bat Bogey Hex), smart, very red headed, both physical and disposition, friendly, loveable... happens to continually have a crush on Harry Potter. (She denies it, usually).  
  
"And furthermore," Mrs. Weasley continued, "no mentioning of what happened last year. Harry needs time to recover, and he will talk when he feels like it. You are to not push him to it. If he does talk, encourage him to speak more, But Do Not Push." Giving them another once-over of her eye, she barked, "Dismissed!" then turned away to scrub at the counter with a cloth, muttering under her breath.  
  
Ginny sighed, and picked up her quill again.  
  
Of course, as I write this, Harry Potter is on his way to this lovely, full, and very dysfunctional household I call home. He shall soon be here, and everything will be ... certainly not perfect. We just hope he will open up now. It's been a while since Sirius Black died, and from what I heard, 'disappeared behind the curtain'. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I should start at the beginning.  
  
Harry Potter was born on July 31st, in one of the last years that You-Know- Who was terrorizing the world. His proud parents, Lily Evans Potter and James Potter, were in danger from that fearsome lord, and so for protection they performed the Fidelius Charm, and used their best friend, Sirius Black, as the Secret Keeper. However, much to everybody's surprise, we have recently gained knowledge that the Potters switched their Secret Keeper at the last minute, to another friend named Peter Pettigrew. Unfortunately, Peter, a.k.a. Wormtail, was working under You-Know-Who, and so proved his loyalty to the Dark Side by giving up the 'Secret'. You-Know-Who finally had his enemies in the palm of his hand. He killed James Potter, then turned to the wife and demanded she give him her son. As he yelled out the terrible words 'Avada Kedavra', the spell killed Lily Potter, but rebounded off the son, killing You-Know-Who in some form that only a residue remained. He fled deep into the jungles of Albania, or some kind of jungle in a country that starts with an 'A'. Harry Potter, the son-  
  
"Hey, Ginny! Move!"  
  
Ginny put down the quill again, this time to move the parchment she was writing on off the table, so that her brother and her best friend (Ron and Hermione) could set the table, and wandered into the living room. Harry was expected to floo in at about five o'clock, and it was now four thirty. The twins were, as usual, making the most noise, this time debating with their father over their business, whether it brought in as much money as they had thought, assets, and other business subjects that did not fascinate Ginny as much as the twins liked. She went to sit down in the comfy chair by the fire, and, using a lap desk, continued with her 'scribe work'.  
  
-was taken by a good friend of Dumbledore, Reubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. It is said that Sirius Black, the man suspected of betrayal, was there. Harry Potter was taken by Hagrid to Dumbledore, who placed him under the care of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, sister and brother-in-law to Lily Potter. And so time passed, ten years where the Boy-Who-Lived was bossed around, ignored, and beaten on, by his aunt, uncle and cousin. In fact, he had no clue what and who he was until a certain gigantic man showed up at the door of their 'summer hideaway'.  
  
PHOOSH  
  
A cloud of dust spread out from the fireplace, and the boy in the midst of it stood up shakily, wiping off round, black-rimmed glasses.  
  
"HARRY!!!" Ron and Hermione jogged out of the kitchen, faces happy, concerned, and embarrassed (for some reason) at the same time. Molly Weasley came from the pantry, arms already open in welcome. " Harry! Finally! We were starting to get worried!" It was only a few minutes past five. "Er.. Thanks, Mrs Weasley. I'm .. er.. here now." Harry was blushing slightly, uncomfortable with all this attention. Ginny smiled slightly, and stood up also to greet him. "Hey Harry. Glad you're here!" She gave him a quick hug, not giving him time to hug her back, and let the rest of the family envelope him. She knew that he would be awkward, no matter what she did. It was sweet, in a way. It helped her to remember he was an ordinary guy.  
  
A/N: Hey this isn't my first fic, exactly, but it's the first one I've actually thought out for a plot. Kind of. No worries. The button down there, please use it. It is blue, and it says 'Submit review'. I really need some criticism. It's hard criticizing my own work. 


	2. Quidditch and Showers

Ginny yawned. Downstairs she could still hear Ron and Hermione berating each other about something, with Harry's laughter in the background. She fluffed up her pillows, and put her recently acquired lap desk onto her knees, with extra parchment and quills close by. She continued her scribing.  
  
Harry Potter was not always idolized, or even particularly liked. When Dumbledore gave him to the Dursleys for safe keeping, he had only the slightest knowledge of what Harry would go through as he grew up. Petunia Dursley harbored a very strong hatred for her sister and 'their lot', and Vernon Dursley would never be able to tolerate, or understand 'abnormality' such as what they knew Harry was. They tried to squash it from him by ignoring him and treating him like something less than human. Dudley, their son, was brought up to understand that Harry was something to boss around and bully. He even called Harry his 'personal punching bag'. Luckily, Harry was quick on his feet. Dudley could lose some pounds. Sometimes when out shopping Harry would be recognized by wizards in disguise, and that brought serious problems upon himself. Uncontrolled magic also caught him up in a few sticky situations. He mentioned a time where he was running away from Dudley and his gang, and he actually flew onto the school roof. The school staff and the family were not very happy about that. But I am forgetting a very important part of his story. Harry Potter was never given a room for himself. He had to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, with spiders and a cramped space. It was only when the Dursleys needed a solution to a particular problem that they set him up in Dudley's second bedroom, which was full of broken toys and books that had never been read.  
  
Ginny blinked a few times and reread what she had written. Everything that she had ever heard about the Great Harry Potter was being recorded. She placed the quill, desk and parchment by the bed, and snuggled into the covers, hoping to dream sweet dreams.  
  
"Psst! Harry!"  
  
Harry jerked awake, trying to work out why he was awake at -he looked at the clock- five o'clock.  
  
"Harry! Psst!" This time his shoulder moved of its own accord, roughly jerking him around. He turned over, and ended up being face to face with Ron.  
  
"What? What is it? Something wrong?" Harry yawned and sat up, pushing on his glasses.  
  
"Hey, if you don't want to get into shape for Quidditch this term, I'll let you sleep. The twins want us downstairs and ready by five thirty. They want you and me to keep in shape for this year's team. And..."  
  
"A bit too much information for the morning, Ron. Let me get up, but how is this going to help us in the school year? I mean, besides the lack of sleep we are going to have for not resting now." Harry pulled on some jeans and a shirt and managed to finish his dressing before stumbling out of the room after Ron. "I mean, it's probably good for training skills, but where's the practicality?"  
  
"The twins claim that if we don't start practicing now, we won't beat Slytherin. Apparently, they have personal trainers and the like every summer. We need the extra time so we can equal them. Besides the fact that we get on the team for talent, and they get on the team for money and status. Bunch of gits. And I'm agreeing with you, mate. I like my beauty sleep."  
  
"Yeah, because you need it, Ron." A voice came from the door they were just passing. Ginny poked her head around the corner, grinning at their rumpled look. She didn't look like she had just woken up, though her hair was slightly messy still, as if she hadn't brushed it yet. "Now shut up so that Hermione can continue to sleep. She's the only sensible one not to play Quidditch."  
  
"Lucky her," Ron grumbled, "maybe we should wake her up just to annoy the hell out of her. We need our support group in the mornings..." He blinked. "Hey. That's not such a bad idea..."  
  
"Don't you dare, Ronald Weasley. And too late, I'm already up. The twins caused a racket tramping down the stairs, which woke both me and Ginny up. And no, you can't do it tomorrow, or the day after." Hermione's head popped out of the doorway where Ginny had just walked out to join them. She sent a quick grin to Harry, a semi-glare semi-smile to Ron, and then disappeared to grab a book, a few feet of parchment and a couple pens. Ron made a face.  
  
"You'd better not be doing homework now. We have three bloody weeks to finish that essay on transfiguring mammals to amphibians."  
  
"Just because you leave things to the last minute doesn't mean the rest of us do. And just because you seem to think I always do homework doesn't mean I do either. This is personal research." Hermione stalked past Ron and Harry, who was grinning like mad. The boys pressed up against the opposite wall of the hallway, so that Hermione and Ginny could take the lead.  
  
"I think that's a personal record, Ron. Hermione angry at you at five in the morning and we haven't even had breakfast yet. The sun hasn't even risen for goodness sake!" "Oh shut up." To Harry's amusement and surprise, Ron looked very put out.  
  
After a relaxing time of trying to put a quaffle past Ron (Ginny was chaser), trying to dodge a couple bludgers and beater twins, and trying to catch a snitch, Harry and the Weasleys trooped into the kitchen for their full breakfast. They had been practicing a few strategies that the twins thought would help in the 'trials ahead', as they put it. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen tidying up her cooking area. Delicious aromas wafted off the table, which supported bacon and eggs, toast, sausages, orange juice and coffee. The teens descended hungrily, cleaning up even the crumbs a mouse wouldn't touch. Then they all divided into their separate rooms, calling out dibs for shower time. Ginny, knowing that as the youngest she'd be shunted to the back, went into her room to wait out the line. It was a good thing that the hot water never ran out.  
  
When Harry was first sent a letter by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Dursleys immediately destroyed it, knowing what was going to come next, and thinking they could still prevent it. They ended up being chased by owl and letters (several hundred copies) around South England, and were caught up on a little hut situated on a rock by the ocean. Reubeus Hagrid made his second appearance in Harry Potter's life, and broke the news of who and what the poor boy was, and is.  
  
First year for Harry Potter was full of surprises. He learned there was an evil wizard after him, and after ten years of hiding, Lord Voldemort (more commonly known as You-Know-Who) possessed the body of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrel. When Harry faced him in trying to get the Philosopher's Stone first, the stone was destroyed, and Quirrel lost his life. You-Know-Who returned to the forests of Albania.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Yup?" Ginny didn't look up. She didn't need to. Harry Potter was standing in the doorway of her bedroom. She hoped her face wasn't too red.  
  
"Why aren't you in line for the shower?"  
  
She grinned, and replied, "Since I'm the youngest, I've always been pushed to the end. I don't even bother standing in line. I usually am last, so I don't bother pushing anybody." She looked up, and saw puzzlement cross Harry's features.  
  
"Would you like that you have my spot in the shower? I'm next," Harry looked down at his feet bashfully.  
  
"Thanks Harry, you're sweet, but I'm fine for a bit. There's something here I need to write."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Um.. " Ginny wasn't expecting him to ask that for a while yet. And she wasn't totally prepared to tell him. Ginny felt her face grow a little warmer, and she didn't meet his eyes. "Just a bit of homework for ... Snape."  
  
"Ouch. Is it very nasty? Anything I can do to help?" Harry took another step into the room, then realized what he was doing, and stepped back again. He looked around, obviously trying not to look anywhere there happened to be feminine articles of clothing. "Um.." His cheeks turned a bit red. "I'll talk to you later, I can hear Ron coming out of the shower now." He backed out a bit more, and muttered "Talk to you later." He hurried on down the hall. Ginny grinned at Harry's obvious hasty retreat, then looked around her room, frowning. Clothes were in piles on the floor, and Hermione's cot was the only neat centre of a whirlstorm of miscellaneous objects. It was certain and definite. She needed to clean her room.  
  
A/N: Howzat? Since the italics won't stay on the document when it's uploaded, I changed it so that those gypsy/third eye looking things () separate the dialogue with the diary. Scribework. Thanks for your reviews, I really appreciate them. Support is good, Critisism is great, and Flames... well, I'll accept them too. I'm not forcing you to read my work. Take care, happy reading! 


	3. Discovery

  
  
The summer after that marvellously exciting first year was dismal and sad for The-Boy-Who-Lived. The Dursleys did not like the fact that Harry Potter was a wizard, any more than they liked a pebble in their shoe (Scribe's note: I actually enjoy having a pebble in my shoe sometimes..). His trunk and wand were locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and Harry himself was usually locked in his room, "Making no noise and pretending he wasn't there." His owl, Hedwig, was even locked in her cage. The Dursleys forbid Harry any contact from the magical world. Then, wonder of wonders, a strange creature appeared in his room one unfortunate night, as the Dursleys were entertaining a very important personage for Vernon's enterprise. Dobby the House-Elf was an interesting person to talk to. "It was almost like banging your head against the wall," Harry told me, "but he did it more often." Dobby was unable to tell Harry outright that trouble was brewing in Hogwarts that year, but he did his best, even trying to get Harry into so much trouble he would not be able to return to Hogwarts. He kept all correspondence that Ron and Hermione had written him (each one getting a little bit more frantic), until, to top it off, made the very pretty dessert Petunia had created to float, and crash upon the kitchen floor. Harry was officially under house arrest, going so far as to get bars on his windows.  
  
Then, one dark, stormy night... Err... I mean, one particularly inner- turmoiled evening for Harry, he heard a very unusual sound coming from outside his barred and locked window. A floating car, containing no less than three redheaded Weasleys appeared. Ronald, George and Fred Weasley had flown the family Ford Angelica to Privet Drive, solely for the purpose of saving Harry from his miserable demise. His-  
  
"GINNY!! DINNER! HURRY UP!!"  
  
Fred's dulcet tones broke through Ginny's concentration. Getting up from her special spot in front of the fire (that way she was messenger should anybody floo-message), she dusted off her hands on her jeans, and wandered back into the dinning area. The twins were setting the table, and her mum was bustling about setting out all Harry's favourite foods. Already it was Harry's birthday, and the Weasleys were going to make sure that Harry would have a good one. His pile of presents was on the table in the hall, and Ginny touched the one from her fondly as she passed. She had got him some seeker gloves, and had drawn him a picture. One of her talents was drawing, and the picture depicted one of his winning Quidditch games from his third year. As she walked into the kitchen to give her mother a hand, Ginny heard the clump of two pairs of feet coming down the stairs, and their conversation slightly loud.  
  
"She doesn't like me! Why would she? As far as she's concerned, I'm a thorn in her side." Ron's mournful tone drifted down. Molly was busy fretting over slightly burnt chicken to notice, but the twins looked up evilly.  
  
"I'm serious. She doesn't hate you. In fact, she might even-" Harry wasn't able to finish the sentence because Ron realised they had ended up in the kitchen, and so hastened to shut up before it was too late. Too late.  
  
Ron's face was slowly turning redder than a tomato. He looked around furtively in hopes of an escape from the twins' evil grins. Ginny shared an amused glance with Harry over Ron's shoulder. When Molly bustled in, she saw a strange sight. Ron was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, the twins were wearing very identical expressions of evil satisfaction, and Ginny and Harry were trying their hardest not to laugh, their eyes already tearing up. Molly blinked.  
  
"And what are you all doing?" she peered down her nose sternly. :Here I am trying to get dinner on the table, and you all get to stand around like a bunch of trees! Fred, George, stop staring at your brother and finish setting the table Ginny, come help me in the kitchen. Harry dear, you can go into the living room to wait. Ron, for heavens' sake close your mouth. You look like a simpleton. And go see if your father and Hermione are ready to come in to wash up. They're in the garage." After one last firm glance around, she stalked back into the kitchen. Ginny followed with one last amused glance in the direction of Ron, still biting her lip to hold in her giggles.  
  
Harry and Ron continued on, towards the living room.  
  
"I'm going to get it from those blasted twins. Why didn't you warn me? I should have kept my mouth shut. Why didn't you say anything!?" Ron continued along on this vein for a short while waving his hands about, and pacing about the room. Finally Harry got tired of Ron's ramblings about nothing ever happening in his life that is good, and reminded him of his mother's request. Ron spluttered.  
  
"I can't do that! Not now!! Hermione is out there! I can't talk to her!!"  
  
"Ron, she's one of your best friends. She would be hurt if you went about ignoring her now. And anyway, your dad is there too. It's not like she's going to attack you. Leave me to think a little for cripes sake!!!" Harry turned Ron towards the door and gave him a push that nearly knocked him over. Ron left, muttering under his breath and wringing his hands.  
  
Harry looked around the living room, wondering what to do now. Thinking distantly about taking care of his broom (it was upstairs in the room he shared with Ron), he headed towards the fire to warm himself, and noticed a pile of parchment placed nearby. He took a quick glance at it.  
  
'Harry Potter is not an ordinary guy. In fact, he is the least ordinary guy I've ever known...'  
  
Harry's eyes widened. He picked up the pile to read more. 


	4. Amusing Developments and Washing Up

Ron was miserable. Not only was he going to get teased by his stupid twin brothers, but he was always opening his mouth when he really didn't need to. He had got to the garage just fine, without tripping over his own feet or stepping on any gnomes (those were his next chore) until he got to the door. He stopped to get his wits about him (he was still quite shaken from his ordeal in the kitchen), and overheard some conversation inside.  
  
"-But he never does anything. He just looks at me, and I know he knows I know, and I know he knows I know he knows. I'm not sure what I can do next now. He's so difficult and stubborn."  
  
"Well Hermione," Mr. Weasley replied, "I'm sure he'll smarten up. Perhaps this year will be the better leap. After all, you are all at a good age for this kind of thing. And don't worry, he's a smart boy. If he hasn't figured it out by now, he will soon. Molly doesn't raise her sons to be fools. Except," he added thoughtfully, "perhaps Percy. But I'm sure that boy will come to his senses soon. After events last year, I hope so."  
  
Hermione sounded sympathetic. "I'm sure he will. He doesn't seem foolish, but I think he does what he believes in, similar to what you and Mrs. Weasley do. His one hundred percent goes into what he believes in."  
  
Ron had heard enough. Stomping a bit outside the door to make it seem like he had just arrived, he knocked on the door, calling, "Dad? Hermione? Suppertime!" The door opened, showing a bushy haired Hermione with a smudge of dirt on her nose. Arthur was still standing at his work bench, his collection of batteries and plugs and all other simple muggle technology in front of him. He looked at Ron and greeted his son. "Come on in, Ron. It's absolutely fascinating all this stuff Hermione has been telling me. Did you know that they found a way to make letters on boxes with glass on them? And to play games and other important things? Fascinating, just fascinating." He muttered to himself, picking up certain plugs and batteries and putting them down. Hermione grinned at Ron, who immediately turned red again. He smiled back slowly, which, to his surprise, made Hermione blush. They looked away from each other quickly. Ron cleared his throat and turned towards his father who was still muttering and prodding. "Um, Dad? I think Mum meant supper was on the table soon. As in now to go in to wash up." "What? Oh, yes. Of course." Mr. Weasley hurriedly wiped the worst of the dirt and grime from his hands with a rag kept handy nearby, and swept past the teens, muttering under his breath yet again. Hermione stared after him in concern. "Perhaps I shouldn't have told him about the computers. He seems to want to get a hand on one to study, and they are quite expensive and difficult to acquire. You have to go to the stores, and he doesn't know very much about muggle stores and information." Ron nodded. "You should have. Or he'll get one through you and your family." "Yeah." Hermione turned away from the house, and looked towards Ron again. "Er... Should we go to the house then?" Ron had finally recovered and was acting more normal. He grinned as he remembered a certain memory. "You have dirt on your nose, by the way. Did you know?" Then he turned and walked out the garage door.  
  
Ginny finished helping in the kitchen, and stood around talking with her mother. She missed these 'girl times' they had while she was away at school. Ginny felt she could tell her mother almost anything. Well... Not everything. She couldn't tell her mother about the scribe work she was doing on Harry, or the fact that she was still not over her girlish crush, even though she had had a boyfriend or two since then. Her mother was just finishing a story about her times in Hogwarts while she finished mashing the potatoes.  
  
"Arthur, your father, was continually asking me out on a date to Hogsmeade, but I kept on refusing. I had my eye on a certain other person, one of the popular kids, I forget his name now. Your father wasn't terribly popular, but he was well liked and respected. He was prefect for Gryffindor as well. Finally, I saw the guy I was smitten with doing something shocking I really felt disgusted about. I think he had blown up about something so small and was acting like a toddler who got his candy stolen away. It was absolutely disgusting to watch, and the first person I met after that was Arthur." She looked up from her nearly mashed potatoes dreamily. "That was the first time I accepted him..." Ginny watched her mum with amusement as her eyes got more and more misty with her memories until Molly snapped out of it and continued beating the mashed potatoes to a pulp. "Of course, that doesn't mean I'm exactly pleased with your choice of boyfriends. That Dean Thomas is older than you, and that Michael What's-His Name was not the right person. He ran off to some other girl, for goodness sake! What ever happened to Harry? You used to like him."  
  
"MUM! That was ages ago!" Ginny was crimson with embarrassment. She didn't want the world to know about her continuing crush while she even dated one of his roommates. "Besides, Dean is the perfect gentleman with me! At least, he is in the letters he has sent so far. And anyway," ignoring the look her mother was giving her, "Harry is Ron's best friend, for crying out loud! It just wouldn't work." Under her blazing attitude, Ginny sighed inside. She knew she wanted it to work.  
  
Molly still looked sceptical. "Well, if you're sure..."  
  
"I am," Ginny replied in a firm voice.  
  
"There's not much I can say to convince you out of it. I'd rather not be subject to the bat-bogey hex. Now, go and see if Harry and Ron and Hermione and your terrible brothers are ready for dinner."  
  
Harry had just finished his first summer back from Hogwarts when Ron and Hermione came in, arguing as always.  
  
Or were they?  
  
"That was a brilliant quote you used. Of mine. And considering you don't understand the whole buying copyright rights over the internet, I can't peg you for it."  
  
"Computers? Copyright? What are these things? Honestly Hermione, maybe if you spoke English, then I wouldn't be so stupid to you." Ron smirked and noticed Harry, who was holding his hands behind his back, his cheeks turning very red. Ron cocked an eyebrow at his best friend. "Whassa matter, Harry? Your red face could make you a Weasley."  
  
Hermione elbowed him. "Don't tease." She turned towards Harry, studying him closely. "You feeling alright, Harry? You look flushed. Maybe you're coming down with something?"  
  
Harry visibly shook himself, and muttered a general apology/excuse of no consequence. He cleared his throat and managed to say, "I reckon that dinner's almost ready."  
  
As if that was her cue, Ginny walked into the room and saw the three friends standing around. "Dinner's ready, if you are. Ron, Hermione, go wash up. Harry, you can come and sit at the table." She turned around and walked back out. Harry breathed out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Ron and Hermione left to wash up, bickering again about Ron's incompetence, and Harry tried to gather his nerves and settle the papers he was reading back where he had found them.  
  
A/N: Okay. Next chapter... is... some time. Soon. I hope, since summer is started and vacation is here... free days!!!! For writing to my lovely readers. Those of you still tuning in. ( R&R! hard to criticise my own work. Often. ( 


	5. Eating, Eyes and Presents

Dinner was marvellous, as always. Mrs. Weasley had done her best in creating all of Harry's favourite foods, and the family kept up a lively conversation while they consumed the roast chickens, potatoes and greens, salad and treacle tarts. Harry very nearly forgot about the writings he had found in the living room, and Ginny was reminded of them every time she looked at the green-eyed boy.

She didn't know what she was going to do with her scribe work. How she would tell Harry, she had no idea. Even just looking at him at his happiest showed his scars from last year. Ron and Hermione thankfully thought of it as little as possible, and it was rarely mentioned, although Ginny thought it should be talked about once in a while.

Ginny stared dreamily down at her plate during a part of conversation that did not include her, pondering out her next few paragraphs on her personal project.

_ His uncle Vernon and family unfortunately heard the racket, but were foiled, and Harry Potter, along with companion Ron Weasley and drivers Fred and George Weasley managed to escape back to the Burrow. _

_ The rest of summer passed by easily and lazily for Harry, with some unfortunate and amusing moments with Ron's younger sister, Ginny (I am trying to be impersonal, shh!). School started almost like any other, with a magnificent entrance, namely, by way of flying car. Yes, folks, unfortunately Harry and Ron missed the train, and took the family Ford (the same he was rescued in) and flew it into the Whomping Willow of Hogwarts. Said car turned wild and ran (drove) into the Forbidden Forest. Class happened, Lockhart happened. Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Five time winner of Witch Weekly's best smile award, author of several fantastic best-selling books, and finest dresser in all of England became our DADA (Defence Against the Dark Arts) teacher. According to Ron, the best class they had was when the lilac-robed professor released a cage full of Cornish Pixies in the classroom. The lesson: Never release Cornish pixies into a classroom full of second year students. _

_ Harry later began to believe he was schizophrenic, as he continually heard strange voices that nobody else could hear, speaking words like 'rip… tear… shred… bleed…' He attended the death-day party of Sir Nicholas (a.k.a Nearly headless Nick) and discovered that yes, the Chamber of Secrets had indeed been opened. His Quidditch game wasn't going as well either. By this time Malfoy had bought himself a way onto the Slytherin House Team, by purchasing brand new Nimbus two thousand and one brooms. Ron attempted a curse, and it backfired, causing him to burp slugs for a whole afternoon. Oliver Wood continually raged and ranted and drilled the team to be their best, and nearly managed to win the Quidditch Cup, but was foiled by Harry Potter's running off to save the school again. This time, in particular a younger sister of his best friend, Ginny Weasley. Moi. _

Ginny shut her eyes at the sudden flood of memories from her first year. She had never been able to forget that horrific moment when Riddle took her down to the Chamber to reel her hero in. Yes, he was her hero. And it was all her fault that she had put him in danger in the first place. If she had only known before about that stupid diary… She still couldn't write in a diary. Her mother forbid it, and she literally could not force herself to write her feelings. Harry was the one who managed to get to her, while Ron was playing with rocks and making sure Lockhart wasn't getting himself into more trouble. Harry was the one who came in and fought the Basilisk, using one of its sharp poisonous fangs (that had only just tried to kill him) to destroy the little book that caused the whole caboodle. She was in debt to him for life, and she knew it. Worst, she was beginning to realise she might actually…

No. She wouldn't even think it.

Harry was quite oblivious to the exchange in Ginny's mind, to the sudden tears welling in her eyes, as she bent her red head towards her plate to eat. Harry's green eyes were sparkling with laughter at a joke Gred (I mean Fred) had just told them, and he managed to keep his laughter around him… Until dessert.

Mrs. Weasley called Ginny to help clear the dinner dishes before dessert was brought in, and Harry suddenly noticed Ginny's still face, her shining eyes, her sad expression. As he noticed this change, Ginny looked up, and their eyes locked for a moment. Ginny's eyes, Harry noticed, were brown, with flecks of green and gold, rimmed with a black circle. Gorgeous eyes, in fact, to look into, to get lost in…

Ron nudged him, grinning at a joke he had just made, and Harry broke the contact to grin at his friend, silently muttering in frustration. When he looked back again, Ginny was gone.

Harry's eyes spellbound Ginny. Even while he was looking at something else, they still captivated her, and while directly looking into them, that captivation intensified ten fold. As soon as his eyes released her from their grip, she dashed away, frightened yet yearning. Her mother barely glanced at her as she ordered Ginny to put the candles on the cake and set it on the table in front of Harry, while she gathered all the presents to be opened after dessert.

"Oh, and Ginny, be a dear and tidy up the living room before we all troop in there. I haven't been able to go in there with all this cooking and fuss."

"Yes, Mum."

Ginny trotted into the living room, hearing the sudden bursts of laughter and conversation continuing in the dining area. She spied her papers, and snatched them up. Funny… They weren't in this order before… Ginny rifled through them, but found nothing else wrong or amiss. She ran upstairs to put them in her room then returned and replaced everything back to their proper position in the room before returning to the dinning area for her share of cake and after dinner drinks (hot chocolate for the kids).

Hermione tugged Ginny to a spot beside her, and whispered in her ear,

"What's the matter, Ginny? You look flustered."

Ginny grimaced. She'd forgotten how perceptive her friend was. "Nothing is the matter. I just noticed something a bit out of place. I'll tell you about it later."

Harry noticed Ginny coming back into the room looking slightly confused and worried, and flushed as he remembered the papers he had read in the living room. He must not have replaced them as well as he had thought. He didn't see Hermione whispering to Ginny, but he did notice when they left together. And he definitely noticed the glazed look Ron gave at Hermione's retreating back. He shook his head in amused wonderment and grinned, then nudged his friend.

"Fancy going after her, mate?"

Ron jerked back to a normal appearance, and pretended to brush off his robes trying to hide the fact his eyes were tomato red. "Don't know what you're talking about, Harry."

Harry winked at him and whispered out the corner of his mouth, "of course you do, you git. Just ask her out already. She's your best friend, and as YOUR best friend, I'm getting awful tired of you two dancing around each other like a pair of fencers!"

Ron ignored him pointedly and began a conversation with George on the joke shop.

Harry sighed, but was immediately 're-entertained' by Mrs. Weasley calling for the girls to come down again to watch Harry open his presents.

Once the girls appeared, they trooped into the newly straightened living room and collapsed around the room, Harry being squeezed in on the couch in between Ron and Ginny. Hermione was on Ron's other side, and George was on Ginny's other side.

As he unwrapped presents, thanking and marvelling over the gifts, (a book on Seekers, 'Top Seekers From The Beginning' from Hermione, a Chudley Cannons flag from Ron, and useful sensible things from the rest of the Weasleys..) Harry unwrapped his gift from the twins gingerly, revealing samples from their joke shop. Last present that dropped into his lap was wrapped in red and gold and had a slightly messy 'To Harry, from Ginny' on the wrapping. He unwrapped it carefully, and luckily not too many people were watching by now. Out rolled… a ball. Harry blinked, and Ginny looked at his facial expression in amusement.

"It's a Game Sphere. New made, actually." Ginny continued watching Harry's face as he attempted to process the information.

"It's a what, and what does it do?" Harry was now in perpetual confusion.

"You name a game, and it … I guess the only right word is transforms into the game you called it to be. It's just a two player though. Any higher is still tricky for the makers. Anyway, this one has all manner of games on it. Just ask it for the full list… like this."

Ginny took the ball from Harry and stared into it for a moment, then said clearly, "Game Sphere list". Immediately Harry saw words in a flowing script float then disappear to be replaced by more words. He couldn't tell from his angle, and Ginny was hunched over it. Once the words faded away completely, Ginny blinked, leaned back, and handed the ball back to Harry. It was clear once more.

"That's how, anyway. Just name the game you want to play and it will form."

Harry looked at the ball back to her. Gathering his courage, (after all, he was a Gryffindor) he opened his mouth …

"Would you-"

"Hey, mate! Whatcha got there?" Ron bounded closer to look at the orb in Harry's hands. "Hey neat! You got him one of those Game ball thingies! Neat! Care to have a go at a game, Harry?"

Harry closed his mouth, his eyes, and screwed up his face in frustration. Then he opened his eyes and sighed. Ginny should be the first. The Gryffindor Lion loomed in his mind, and so he reopened his mouth and managed to say without stuttering,

"Actually, I was thinking Ginny should be the first, since she gave it to me."

Ron blinked a few times at this, glancing from the ball, to Harry, to Ginny. Both subjects of his blinking eyes were slightly red in the cheeks, while the ball remained clear. Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, then managed to gasp out "Sure, yes, right, of course…" and turned away to tease Hermione about her gift to Harry. "A book, honestly! It's getting a bit repetitive, isn't it?"

Ginny nearly refused to meet Harry's eyes, until she figured it would be terribly impolite for the boy who just faced down his best friend to play with her. She glanced up into Harry's green eyes, and noticed they were focused on her, with a mild confusion and surprise showing in them. He cleared his throat.

"Well then… What do you want to play?"

A/N: not exactly a cliffie, but an interesting end to a chapter nonetheless. I'm glad my reviewers like my writing…

I am K: thanks, but yours is also great. (I'd have to say we're on the same level).

Gryphonmistress: I updated! Yay! Thanks for reviewing

ElizabethMM: Thanks! I'm glad you like my writing, but if you marry it, then I may have to divorce it… cuz I'm married to it now. :P

Iplis: I may be a vampire wench, but I like cliff hangers. They're a writers best friend on Fanfiction!

NAy: okay, I know who you are now. I'm slow, but I can be fast! Honest! slow….

Nightwing: thanks for reviewing! Either you haven't checked this story lately, cuz I've added three other chapters since you did review.. or you're just reading… ;)

Thanks again!

Sea-my-eyes, the hyper vampire wench who controls this Harry Potter Dimension…. Muahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa … coughs and chokes


	6. Fun, games, and general interests

  
  
"Snakes and Ladders." Harry spoke clearly in the direction of the clear sphere in his hand. "I've always wanted to play that one," he continued, this time to Ginny, who was sitting across from him at the little table they were seated at. "All of Dudley's old books that I read mentioned games I wanted to play but never got the chance to." Harry suddenly clamed up, realising how pathetic he must sound to Ginny. He focused instead on watching the sphere rise up from his hand and hover over the card table. He could see a tiny version of the game Snakes and Ladders appear in the centre, growing bigger and bigger until suddenly it ... came out of the ball, and fell gently onto its place. Ginny and Harry shared a look of surprise and amazement. Two pieces, one red and one green, were at the start of the board game, and a dice appeared at the centre of the board. The board itself was a mess of snakes (with blinking, sleepy eyes) and ladders (different colours, moving around the board), with multicoloured squares. Harry grinned, and offered the dice for Ginny to go first. Accepting the dice, she rolled a six, and the pawn (red) moved six spaces, the squares changing colours every time it hit a new one. The sixth turned red, and there was a ladder heading up to the third row, towards the end.  
  
Ginny grinned, and handed the dice over to Harry, who only got a three. With Ginny far in the lead, the game continued.  
  
Ron and Hermione left alone to their own devices (the other Weasleys had gone about their own business), Ron was continually teasing Hermione about everything and nothing, just for the sake of conversation. Or argument, as the couple never seemed able to not bicker for hours on end. Finally, exhausted in their arguing, they relapsed into a friendly silence, watching the game of Snakes and Ladders with only slight interest. Until....  
  
"Ron, why do you keep mentioning Viktor?"  
  
Ron's happy thoughts on beating her in arguments froze.  
  
"Wh-wh-what?"  
  
"Why do you keep sneering about Viktor?"  
  
"Krum? I don't sneer! I just..." Ron, who was red, blustered worse than Percy. Hermione simply watched him, her brown eyes holding an amount of curiosity and steadiness. Finally, Ron stopped blustering and looked down at his hands.  
  
"Fourth Year was the worst year for me. Harry was mad at me, I was mad at Harry, and you... you went off and kept talking to Viktor and Harry, leaving me alone. I guess... Viktor is the reason I recognised something about myself I didn't know. " Ron was definitely not returning Hermione's gaze, and kept looking down at his hands. He also repeatedly muttered in his head, 'please don't ask me what, please don't ask me what'.  
  
Hermione thought for a bit on what he had said, then asked the unevitable question,  
  
"What?"  
  
Damn.  
  
Ron tried to look innocent, to put her off. "What what?"  
  
Hermione frowned at this obviousness. "What did you discover about yourself?"  
  
Damn, damn, damn! He answered, "oh, it's not important anymore..." in a vague way, then tried to turn the conversation away. "Do you think the Cannons will get further this year? I know that Bulgaria..." Oops. Ron grimaced, and Hermione pounced on the opening Ron had unintentionally given her.  
  
"Yes, Bulgaria will do well, Viktor is continuing to play. I know about the figurine, Ron. I saw you buy it, and Harry told me about it missing an arm. Why did you destroy it?" Hermione kept her face impassive, but couldn't help the glimmer of laughter in her eyes, knowing that Ron was struggling with something. Finally, Ron's face flushed redder than she had ever seen before, and stood up abruptly, grabbed her arm, and dragged her out of the room.  
  
"Ron, what?-"  
  
"Just shut up a minute." Then, realising what he was doing, Ron closed his eyes a bit, slowing down his rapid stride, to which Hermione was just managing to keep up to. Finally, they made it outside to the calm evening air. Ron's normal colouring was slowly returning, the pink fading from his face, though not his ears. Hermione made as if to sit down on the porch steps, but Ron shook his head, nodding towards the window that they could see through at Harry and Ginny laughing at a move that one of them had made.  
  
"Over there, by that tree. It's my favourite place." Ron still had a hold of her hand, and had not realised it yet. Hermione said nothing, but allowed herself to be towed to the place.  
  
"Now. Any question you like. I'll answer them." Ron was decidedly not looking at her, but Hermione knew his attention was completely focused on her. She nodded, then tugged at his hand, motioning for them to sit down.  
  
"Better to be comfortable, we might be out here for a while. First question. Why did you break the Krum figurine?"  
  
"I didn't like the way Harry was against him, and, more importantly, I didn't like the way you always kept talking to him and paying him more attention than me."  
  
Hermione thought the answer over. "You were jealous?"  
  
"Immensely so."  
  
"Are you still jealous?"  
  
"Less, now that he is gone, and I know that Harry is more interested in my sister." Then a look of concern came over his face. "But if he hurts her, I will probably beat him to ap pulp."  
  
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "You older brother types must have real tough lives. You're allowed to crush over any girl, to do wild crazy pranks, but the girl, the youngest especially, cannot. How Ginny survives, I don't know."  
  
"Oh, you've never been on the receiving end of her hexes and jinxes. They're powerful."  
  
Hermione laughed at that. Then what Ron had said hit her. "Wait... you were jealous of Harry? Really? Because of me?"  
  
This time Ron had to look at her. She was flushed, and her eyes shone in amazement. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." Heat flooded his face for the umpteenth time that night.  
  
"You like me then?" Hermione suddenly realised that it was a very important, yet slightly redundant question.  
  
Ron grinned, a flash of while in the darkness of the tree's shadow. "Yeah, you could say that too."  
  
Hermione nearly went limp with relief, even though she knew deep down already the truth. "What are you going to do about it?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "I was hoping you could tell me. You're the know-it-all, after all."  
  
They both grinned at each other, and they both realised nothing need more to be said.  
  
The Weasley twins, in all their adult dignity, stifled their mouths to cover their laughter. Careful not to let the branches shake, they sat back and grinned. Below them, their brother and Hermione were sitting silently, Ron's arms around Hermione, Hermione leaning against him, him leaning against the trunk. Since they had completely mastered apparition, they disappeared with a faint pop, not the loud crack from before, and reappeared in their apartment, releasing the laughter they had been holding in.  
  
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A/N: Okay. I really needed something to do, and I realised that I hadn't finished this chapter. So I did. big proud grin  
  
ElizabethMM: First of all, well, no, I'm not against divorce. It just happens way too often. But I know a divorce JUDGE! Muahaha. Sorry. How about we share it? I write it, and make love to it, and you review and make love to it? Well, ish. bork  
  
NAy: thanks girl! So what if your sister reads it? Unless ... well, it might do her good? Maybe..... but if she's over eleven, I think she can handle it. No novel yet, but tons of ideas. ;)  
  
Only two new reviewers. Wow. Please read and review, criticism is good, flames are accepted, and compliments are always welcome!! (I have friends that keep my ego down)  
  
Chapter seven will come... sometime. Maybe not the best chapter was this, but I needed something else to happen. And something evil will happen, it won't be full of fluff. I think. :D  
  
sea 


	7. Year Three and OWL Results

Chapter 7

Next morning, the first of August was bright and shiny. Ron and Harry woke up at about the same time, blinking in the sunlight filtering into the room. They immediately rolled out of bed, pulled on some clothes, grabbed their brooms and headed downstairs. They didn't make it out the door though.

"And where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Mum, we've been doing this all summer. Wake up, Quidditch practice, breakfast, then the rest of the day. You can't tell us you had no idea!" Ron looked at his mother incredulously.

Molly shook her head. "Your letters came today. OWL results included. You need to see how you did, and then we have to go to Diagon Alley to get your supplies. No Quidditch today!"

"But…" Ron's pained expression was lost on his mother, however. Harry just looked from one red head to the other, bemused.

"No buts. Come along Harry dear, Dumbledore knew you were here, as always."

Hermione was already in the kitchen with Ginny, talking about the new year. Hermione's letter was already opened, and she kept on glancing down at it with a small smile on her face.

The rest of the post was in a pile by the butter, and Ron lunged immediately for his, tearing it open in a frenzy of confetti.

Harry opened his slowly.

It read:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Your results on the Fifth Year Ordinary Wizarding Levels are below. O stands for Outstanding, E stands for Exceptional, A stands for Acceptable, F stands for Fail. _

_Charms O.W.L: E_

_Transfiguration O.W.L: E_

_Herbology O.W.L: O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L: O_

_Potions O.W.L: A_

_Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L: O_

_Astronomy O.W.L: A_

_Divination O.W.L: A_

_History of Magic O.W.L: A_

_These results confirm your magical levels for your first five years attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They will determine some of your future choices as a career move. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Professor Marchbanks,_

_Head of Magical Education and Examination_

Harry read through the list a few times, unable to believe it. He hadn't failed anything! He got Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts! He had passed Divination! Maybe the examiner had really nearly died, so he got some points for that. He looked over the paper towards Ron, who was running a hand through his hair, eyes flicking left to right quickly. Hermione stared at Ron expectantly, while Ginny tried not to stare at Harry. Finally Hermione broke the silence.

"Well? How did you two do?"

Harry passed his letter silently to Hermione who snatched it. Ron was still reading his. Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder.

"I don't believe it. You got higher than Hermione in something!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione started, blushed then turned to berate Ginny, but too late. Ron and Harry stared at Hermione incredulously.

"In what?"

"DADA. That's awesome, Harry, you got an Outstanding! Ron how did you do?" Ginny turned to her brother.

"A couple Outstandings, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, and Exceptional and Acceptable in everything else. No fails!"

Mrs Weasley came around, drying her hands on a dish towel. She gave Harry and Ron both a great big hug, exclaiming how happy she was that they had done so well, and of course Hermione, because of her Outstandings in almost every subject.

Ginny smiled at the Trio being smothered by her mother, then silently left the kitchen. She headed for her room, to continue her History.

_Harry and Ron suffered in the absence of Hermione, who had been petrified by the terror that was stalking the school. Nobody knew who the Heir to the Chamber of Secrets was, and Draco Malfoy certainly wasn't helping. Even the Hogwarts ghosts were not safe, when Nearly Headless Nick was petrified along with Justin Finch-Fletchley. Ginny Weasley became more and more edgy, fearful. Harry and Ron didn't notice, being too wrapped up in discovering who the Heir was, and where the chamber was, so that they might discover anything else, and save the school again. Finally, Ginny was taken down to the chamber, and Harry, Ron and Professor Lockhart followed. Harry rallied up his talents, and hissed his way through the passages. Unfortunately, a mishap caused by Lockhart caused the tunnel to collapse, separating Ron and Lockhart from Harry, so Harry had to go on alone. He encountered his arch enemy in the form of a seventeen year old boy, named Tom Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle became I Am Lord Voldemort. Ginny was unconscious and near death's door, and so she did not witness everything that had occurred. Harry defeated the Basilisk with Gryffindor's Sword, pulled from the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, and Fawkes the Phoenix, Dumbledore's lovely bird, distracted the serpent. Fawkes also helped Harry when a poisonous fang was embedded in his arm (Phoenix tears have marvellous healing powers). Finally, the Diary along with Riddle was destroyed, and Ginny, Harry, Ron and an unusually absent-minded Lockhart returned to the world of the living. The Weasleys were beside themselves, Dumbledore was his normal cheery self, and Lockhart left to find some new memories. And there was evening, and then morning, and the second year. _

_The summer after was not unlike the other two, and the Dursleys continued on making Harry's life trouble. Mostly, he was left alone, and Harry was equal to that. They ignored him, and he did his homework. He kept up correspondence with his friends, and on his birthday received gifts from everybody. Unfortunately, things would not last. His Hogwarts letter arrived, with a permission form for his uncle to sign for permission to go to Hogsmeade Village. His 'Aunt' Marge came for a visit, and got blown up by uncontrolled magic. Harry left in a huff, got frightened off his socks, and made his way to the Leaky Cauldron by way of the Knight Bus. Harry was not in trouble, to his surprise, and stayed in Diagon Alley for the rest of the summer, until he met his friends, the Weasleys, and Hermione Granger again._

_There was another ingredient in the cauldron, however, and everywhere Harry went, a scary face followed. Sirius Black, the notorious death-eater, had escaped Azkaban, the wizarding prison. It had never been done before, and nobody knew how he could have accomplished such a feat. _

_The Prison was located on a small island in the middle of the ocean, and was guarded by monstrous creatures called Dementors. These Dementors are figures of cloak and shadow, and they suck every good feeling out of you if they come near. The worst thing possible that can be done by them is the Dementor's Kiss, where they suck out the soul entirely. _

_Harry did not allow this to bug him too much however, and so continued on to Hogwarts with his trusty friends, the little sister, and the odd roommate. The Dementors did stop the train on the way to Hogwarts, and Harry did faint, but the new DADA teacher, a Professor R. J. Lupin was sleeping in the same compartment and so knew the proper response one gives to a Dementor (the Patronus charm). Harry was fussed over, Hermione was given something secret, and chocolate was eaten all around. _

Ginny put down her pen. It was ten o'clock at night, and that was enough. She would finish year three tomorrow, perhaps.

Harry lay in his bed in Ron's room, staring up at the ceiling. He thought, maybe I'll play Quidditch tomorrow…

And promptly fell asleep.

A/N: Odd as this is, I can't help but enjoy this. I had serious writer's block for a few months.. sorry. Then I realised that there was nothing more to be read, unless I give others something to read, and so I am. Enjoy this … month's instalment of

Ordinary Guy.

Please review!


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